Strong
by ADAMalchemist
Summary: "You're the strongest person I know." "W-what? L-look at me rig-" "It's strange, really. You keep saying that this is a sign of weakness. When, actually, you're strong enough to. None of us are strong enough to cry." Summery doesn't tell much. Wartime AU.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello all! I've had this idea in my head for a while now(like most of my fics), and just now have started working on it. To those of you who watch me already or look my profile up to read my fics, you will noticed that a few of my stories have been deleted. Why is this? My father got ahold of my account and had a bit of 'fun'. Anyway, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did, it would be chaos. Warning for possibly crappy writing. Although, I've been bashed on for putting it there. So, hey, it might be good.**

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Nothing could have been heavier then the air at that very moment.

It sat on his shoulders and in his lungs, forcing him to stop running and start coughing. He gripped his small chest with his boney hand and bent over, allowing the cold air to sting him from the inside. His body trembled as he began to sink to his knees. The commotion around him didn't seem to come to his mind. Children screaming, mothers crying, guns firing. If he had taken the time to pay attention, he would have started running once more.

"Brother! Brother, hurry!" A voice called from far away.

He wasn't sure if it was truly for him, but it was all he needed to nod and shake off the pain.

His legs began to feel like noodles as he ran, fighting against the other people to get to the source of the voice. Babies cried as panicked tried to shush them, crying themselves. It was truthfully a sad sight to see. He tried his best to look down and continue running, ignoring the ice sharp pain in his chest. A curse escaped under his breath as his lungs closed up. The poor boy was born in this season, so, in his logic, they should coexist happily. But that was not the case and it frustrated him to his core.

The sound of something falling from high above entered his ears and stopped him, almost forcing the child to look up. A plane passed by the smoke that clung to the stars and was followed by a loud crash, the earth shaking with it. A bomb. The screams around him became more terrified and the paces rushed sevenfold. But all he did was stare at the black sky with his wide eyes as he registered what was happening. He could only stare for a minute, no little, no less, before a large body pushed against him and forced him to the cold ground. His cheek scrapped against a shard of ice, causing him to bleed and turn him paler then he already was.

"Brother, where are you?!" The voice called out again.

This time, he was sure of it. It was for him. His thin arms pushed him to his feet and he began running once more, trying to reach the child that the voice belonged to. Thankfully, he wasn't more then four lines of bodies away. The younger boy's eyes grew wide and the sight of the older one, seeing the cut on his cheek.

"Oh, brother, what happened? Are you alright?" He asked, holding onto his brother to keep him up as he coughed.

He could see that the snowy air was not agreeing with him and decided to pat his back in order to help him. The blonde shook his head and whipped his mouth off, looking into his younger brother's eyes.

"I'm fine. Let's get on the train." He said as calmly as he could.

In truth, the eight year old was terrified. His legs wouldn't stop shaking and a lump in his throat threatened to send tears to his eyes. But, he had to be strong. He had to be a support beam for his brother.

The seven year old nodded and held his hand, leading him to the train which wasn't to far away. Mothers held their children tight before they were put into the train to be taken to the country side. The whistle blew, signaling that the train was almost full and almost ready to leave.

"Boys!"

The two turned to see their mother waving them over, her face slowly softening as they made their way over.

"Mom!"

She smiled and bent down, holding the two in her arms tightly. All of them wished time would stay still so they could be like this forever. But wishes are just that. Wishes. Hardly ever do they come true. She pulled away and looked down at her brave children with a smile on her face. "Your bags are already inside. They're saving your seats." She said, moving hair from their faces.

"But mom, what about you?" The youngest asked, starting to panic.

"I'll be on the next train, okay? I'm going to be on the next train." She said, ignoring the sound of more planes flying above them.

The oldest didn't shake it off as easily as his mother did and looked up, watching as something dropped from the plane. The sound from before the bomb played over in his ears and his eyes went wide as he watched it float down to the building not to far away from where they stood.

"I love you both." She mumbled to them softly.

Before they could send their affections back, the building shattered, pieces of brick scattering everywhere. The oldest brother looked over at his mother, only to watch her be hit back. Upon looking down at her as she fell, he noticed a medium sized piece of a wall in place of where her head should be.

His golden eyes widened with fear and horror, his lips dry from shock. "M…mom…?" He muttered, his voice dry.

The youngest began to sob as he clutched his brother's sleeve, trying not to look at the scene. Large, male hands grabbed the two and began dragging them away from the sight. "The train is about to leave."

The blonde shook his head and began to pull away from the man, reaching for what remained of his mother. "N-no! We can't leave her!"

"I'm sorry, kid. It's to late."

He began to thrash about, clawing at the arm that had him. He screamed at the dark haired man and threatened to dig his eyes out only to turn back to his lifeless mother and call out to her, reaching to her for help.

"Mom! Mom, please!" He screamed, allowing his voice to go as high as it could.

"Boy, you need to stop!" The man demanded.

He pushed away from him only to be grabbed around the waist and picked up. His arms stretched out as far as they could to try and grab her, to hug her once more, to give his words of affection he had no time to give.

He had completely forgotten about his brother who was already dragged into the train and forgot his duty to be strong. He just wanted his mother to get up and smile.

_"Mom!"_

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**A/N: So, I'm a horrible person. - ADAM **


	2. The Amestrian soldier

**A/N: I've been trying to make long chapters for my fics. On here, it might not seem like much but on my word document, it's like 7 pages. Um...enjoy?**

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Sweat dripped from his brow and nose as he sat up.

His chest was tight and his lungs seemed nonexistent as he gasped for breath. With trembling hands, he gripped his chest in hopes that he could take off the invisible weight that sat there. It wasn't long before he finally caught his breath and let it out slowly. He whipped the sweat from his forehead off with his arm and looked around, happy to see it was just a dream.

The twelve year old looked around at the sea of people to see if he had woken anyone. A soft sigh escaped him when nobody sat up.

A draft swam in from the cracks in the walls and sent a chill up the boy's spin, causing him to shiver. Even though the entire village slept here, shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet, it was still very cold. His eyes adjusted to the darkness finally and he blinked a few times, looking down at his brother who laid next to him. He smiled as he looked over his soft features; his hair, his radiant cheeks. It was rare to find a child that hadn't yet been touched by war.

"Brother Ed…?" A small voice asked in a small slur.

He turned his head and looked down at the little girl on his right, her light hair loose from it's usual pigtails. She rubbed her green eyes as she looked up at him.

"What're you doin' up?" She asked.

It was clear she wasn't yet awake but not exactly sleeping either. He chuckled as he watched her sway. "I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep, Elicia." He told her, ruffling her already matted hair.

With a small nod, she laid back down and closed her eyes, quickly falling into a deep sleep.

Edward looked over the two that slept on either side of him and yawned, laying back down to rest his eyes.

The boy had to stay partially awake in case of an attack. He had to protect the village and the last slivers of innocence that was left upon this world.

* * *

The life he was pushed into wasn't the life he would have chosen. But, it was a life, his life, nonetheless.

When he was little and living with his lovely parents in Central, picking out a toy everyday and getting ice cream every week, he would have never thought he would be out here in a small village. He never thought he would be picking wheat, harvesting grapes, and getting his arms burned by the sun.

The woman that had taken him and his brother in, Gracia, weaved him a rather large straw hat so that he could go outside without getting burned. She made it after his first summer with the village. The child seemed to love the clear skies and wide open fields. He would run for hours chasing his brother, exploring the ruins not to far away, and hopping after frogs in small ponds. When he came back that first day, he was waddling with noticeable pain and his skin was about as red as the blood on his knees. As soon as she saw the sight, she began right away making the hat.

It used to shade his entire body but, now that he was bigger, the poor thing always seemed to get burned on his arms. He didn't mind, of course. He thought that, one of these times, he might actually get tanned instead of stung.

The twelve year old sighed as he bent down and examined three pumpkins. He knocked on the side of each one and smiled at the stiff sound it made. Color; a perfect orange. No warm holes or bruising was indicated, showing that these gourds were perfect for the picking. Edward took out a sharp knife and held part of the first pumpkin's stem firmly before he began slicing it.

His mind began to drift off to much happier times. Times where he wasn't scared at night. Times where there was no war.

He remembered most of his childhood. The playful birthdays his parents would throw for him and his brother, the school uniforms he detested, the mountain of toys that sat in his room alone. Life before the war was amazing and simple. Back then, a child could happily walk down the streets of Central, money in hand, and buy two, maybe even four pounds of candy. Now, candy was a rare sight to be seen. Children born within the last few years have never even heard of such things as lollipops or ice cream. Their parents would only tell them which type of planets were okay to eat and how to hide in plain sight. Edward remembered the first time he had ever held a gun. On the outside, it seemed like he had this down without a problem. But, on the inside, nobody would have believed that he was freaking out. He had just turned nine when the weapon was placed in his hands and was ordered to fire. Even now, he still hated just holding a knife in his hands.

"Ow!" He hissed, bringing his cut thumb up to his mouth.

Poor child was so lost in thought, he had forgotten what he was doing. Snapping the knife back, he slipped it into his pocket and heaved up the pumpkins into the wheelbarrow and walked away. Looking over the village, he smiled and watched as the littlest children raised their hands to answer questions from their teacher.

Although they didn't have a building to have school in, they still learned outside. During the winters, they would huddle around a tree like penguins and nod as Mrs. Curtis taught them how to hide themselves in the branches of a tree.

"…and what happens if we see anyone hurt or from the military?" She asked her pupils.

"We go and find an adult." Their voices sang like a choir.

She nodded happily and smiled, crossing her arms over her chest. "That's right!"

Edward shook his head as he passed behind the children. He had no idea why she was being so nice to this new generation. The way he remembered it was she was a strong force that shouldn't be toyed with if you loved life. And he knew this all to well. He was the one toying with her through his two years of school.

Izumi Curtis noticed the blonde and smirked, her eyes narrowing. "Elric!" She snapped, causing the boy to freeze in place. "Get over here, I need a volunteer!"

With a sigh, he dropped the barrow and waltzed over, bracing himself for the worst. She smiled happily like she did with the other children and placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to look at the small crowd.

"All of you know Ed, right? Say hi!" She said, her tone more motherly then when she would ever talk to the twelve year old.

All of the children smiled and said their hellos, Elicia's being the loudest. He smiled and waved to them, terrified of what the teacher had planned. And he was right to feel this way.

Mrs. Curtis tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Kids, what happens if someone from Creta or Drachma grabs you?"

A small boy raised his hand and answered, "You get him down and run."

"Yes! You make sure he's down and you run. You look for an adult and tell them where they are." She smiled and looked Edward over. "Today, Ed is from Drachma and he enlisted into their army."

The blonde's eyes widened as he felt her foot collide with his lower torso, causing him to bend over. She began explaining her moves as she thrashed out on Ed some more, kicking him behind the knee and in the back of the neck. The pre teen lay on the ground, groaning as the children cheered and clapped.

"That's enough for today!" Mrs. Curtis told her students and watched as they scattered off, playing in the fallen leafs.

She smiled at the sight and looked down at the poor child, watching him curl in pain. In all honesty, she hadn't intended on hurting him as much as she did. But, it felt good to whack on the old pipsqueak.

"You alright down there?" She asked, her hands on her hips.

Edward groaned and held his side. "_Fantastic._" He mumbled.

* * *

Dinner had it's ups and downs in their traveling village.

Everyone pitched in to help with the baking and the cooking, working over small pits of fire. Once everything was done, they would put out every small fire and start one giant one. A great big bon fire in the middle of the empty fields. Most of the older women, like Gracia, would sit and play their makeshift instruments and watch as the younger generations danced around, singing and laughing.

It kept their blood pumping so that they would be warm as they went to sleep but it was very dangerous. At any moment, Cretan or Drachman military forces could notice the fire and rush in to attack. This is why Edward sat and looked out into the nothingness as he ate, keeping his back turned on the dancers. He was old enough to fight. He was the oldest male. He had to keep everyone safe.

Of course, everyone continued to dance and left the blonde be. They figured that, even in this war, they needed fun in their lives. Without the dancing, singing, and eating together, they would go mad.

"Brother, why don't you go join them?" The eleven year old asked, looking the pre teen over.

Edward didn't turn to him and didn't seem to blink as he stared over the fields. "Al, someone has to keep us safe."

"You should let the adults worry about our safety. You're just a kid, too, and you should have some fun while you can." Alphonse said.

His older brother said nothing, keeping his golden eyes fixated on the dying grassland. He sighed and smiled, nudging the other's shoulder with his head. "Come on." When there was no response, he pressed more of his body against him in a nudge. "_Come onnnn_, big brother. I know you want to."

Edward let out a small chuckle and allowed a smile onto his face at his brother's attempts to make him get up. With one last look around the fields and one last bite of smashed pumpkin, he stood up with his hand held out toward Alphonse. He took it happily and walked over to the fire with him.

At first, it felt awkward, only giving out slight movements that he was copying from others. But, as he watched his younger brother and the children around him dance funnier then he was, all his muscles let loose. The music entered him, numbing him like a drug until the world around him was blurred. He smiled at the feeling and continued to dance around.

He should have listened to his brother more because this was tremendous.

* * *

The warmth from the fire and dancing seemed to have accidentally put the twelve year old right to sleep. Usually, he would only allow himself to close his eyes and let his mind drift off, keeping his ears wide open.

It was strange for him to fall asleep like this. Even if it didn't last very long.

"Someone!"

The voice was deep but loud, coming in through the crack in the wall. The blonde's eyes slowly opened as he sat up, looking around to see if it was either his imagination or someone in the building.

"Somebody help! I've been shot!"

It was a male's voice. There was no panic or sense of fear hinted in his voice, just pain. Edward stood up, making sure not to wake anyone on his way outside. Flipping his knife open, he glared when he opened the curtain to see no one there. As he turned to go back inside, he began to hear grunts coming from the side of the small building.

_'Is it military or civilian…?'_ He wondered, turning the corner to see a shadowed figure limping against the wall.

His body froze with the sight, his knife gripped tightly in his hand.

"Please, I need help." The shadow called out to him.

Instead of running back in and getting Mrs. Curtis or someone else, he picked up a rock and threw it at the being. He yelped when he was hit and began screaming at the boy, telling him to stop as he was bombarded with stones.

"Kid! Stop! I'm an Amestrian officer!"

Edward didn't seem to care, screaming back at the 'officer'. "Get out of here!"

By this time, most of the village was up from the commotion. Mrs. Curtis came running out, picking up a stone and throwing it at the blonde before rushing to the man's side. Gracia grabbed the knife from Edward's hands and flipped it back closed.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

"This guy was screaming for help and woke me up."

Mrs. Curtis glared down at the child, helping the officer into the building. "And that's a reason to throw rocks at him?"

The twelve year old glared back. "No, but he's an Amestrian officer. If he was shot, that means that there is a battle going on not to far from here. They could follow him here and put us in danger!"

Nobody seemed to listen as they laid him down, lighting a candle to look over the soldier's wounds. With a sigh, he walked over and looked at his face, glaring as he noticed the features. That dark raven hair, those cold onyx eyes, that emotionless face. He knew this man.

His glare became colder as he stared into his eyes, mumbling a single word.

"Bastard."

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**A/N: I hope you enjoyed. - ADAM**


	3. The needed children

**A/N: Hopefully, I'll get another chapter done today. If I don't, then happy doomsday everyone!**

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The Amestrian raised an eyebrow at the boy, looking him over.

It was clear on the blonde's face that he knew him but, frankly, the man had no idea who he was at all. He tried his hardest to remember, looking back at the battles he had fought in. No, hardly any children had those same eyes, those same fire sparked eyes. There was only one child he had ever met that carried those same pair.

About four years ago, maybe a little more, he was helping children escape from the city of Central. A mother of two, little boys died during a bombing. He remembered pulling the smallest child away, ignoring his threats and attacks while he reached for his dead mother. Sitting him in his seat, he looked into those golden eyes full of tears and began telling him that it was alright. That he was being sent to a new family with his brother.

Ah, yes. He remembered now.

"Look, kid," He said. "I'm sorry about what happened to your mother, alright? But you can't hate me for something like that."

The child only glared at him more, his body shaking from anger. "Yes I can."

"And why is that? Hm? I saved your _life_!"

"You never let us say goodbye!"

Edward had yelled many times before. The first time he did, it had stopped everyone in their tracks. He was usually quiet when he first came to them and hearing him scream was almost scary. It was like a puppy finding his bark. And once he did, he barked all the time.

But this one sentence caused everyone to freeze and stare at the boy. By this time, Elicia and Alphonse had already woken up from the commotion and looked at their older brother in sadness.

"Brother…" Alphonse whispered, expecting him to burst into tears.

Of course, he never would. The blonde believed that shedding a tear was just as bad as surrendering himself to Creta or Drachma. To him, it meant giving up.

Edward stood, glaring at the soldier with immense hate. "You never let me or my brother say goodbye to our mother. How could I forgive you?" And with that, he walked out, taking his knife out of Gracia's hands.

The mother sighed and looked over at the injured man, giving him a weak smile. "He's just angry. I'm sure he doesn't mean it."

* * *

Stomping around, he kicked the leftovers of the pumpkins he had picked earlier. His mind filled up with angry thoughts and his chest began to tighten as he ran in circles, trying to sweat it off as if it were a cold. But nothing seemed to get rid of the anger and hate he had for the man.

He didn't even know his name or where he came from. His life, his past, what he wants, what he doesn't have. Not a thing about him. The only thing he knew was that he hated him.

Not with just any hate. No, he hated him with a deep passion.

"That. Fucking. **Bastard!**" He muttered, kicking a pumpkin with every word.

It wasn't long before the pre teen lost his energy and laid himself down amongst the destroyed gourds. He panted as he tried to regain his breath, not minding the soft frost that began covering the field. Every sweat drop that ran down his body slowly turned into ice. He closed his eyes and allowed the cold weather to tae him over, oddly calming down. A smile twisted itself on his face, relaxing into the cold ground. Everything was calm, peaceful, and unwound. The stress lifted off his shoulders as he slowed his breathing and sighed happily.

Now, all he had to do was forget about that soldier. And that's just what he did as he jumped from good memory to good memory. But, of course, this didn't last long at all.

The sound of gun shots and screaming in the distance brought him back to reality. He sat up and gripped his knife tightly in his hand, running as fast as he could. By the time he had finally got there, blood was splattered over the ground. Some laid passed out while others groaned as they stood up, grief written on their faces.

Edward's eyes went wide with horror as he looked around. "What happened?!" He asked, helping Gracia to her feet.

"C-Cretan soliders…" She mumbled, blood dripping from her hairline.

Mothers began crying as they searched for a child that was no longer there. Elicia came running from inside the building, going straight to Gracia's side.

"M-Mommy! Are you okay?!" She asked, looking her over.

Other then a few minor cuts and bruises, both seemed to be fine. The blonde smiled and looked up, waiting for his brother to come running out as well. After a few seconds of watching others cry and grieve, he began feeling the dread enter his heart as well.

"Alphonse…?" He asked, looking around.

The dirty blonde's head didn't poke out from anywhere which brought worry onto the twelve year old's shoulders. He felt his heart race as he looked at every face and in the building. Everywhere he looked, his brother was no where to be found. He began screaming his name as he raced around, breathing heavily. His knees felt weak under him and forced him down to the ground.

He was gone.

The last family he had left…gone.

A lump in his throat threatened to send tears to his eyes. But, he didn't allow it. No, tears were a sign of weakness. A sign of giving up and showing that you can't do something on your own. He raised his little brother, gathered food for the village, started the fires that made the meals, and protected everyone. He had to be the one man army they needed. He couldn't show them that he had failed, that he had given up.

"I'm so sorry, Ed…" Gracia said sadly, walking up to him.

She laid a soft hand on his shoulder. "He was taken with some of the others." She explained, watching the pain overtake him.

The Amesterian soldier stood up, looking the scene over. His heart stung with grief as he watched the blonde shake his head and stand, looking the knife over in his hand. The boy's finger twitched as he held it, gripping it tightly before he opened his mouth.

"I'm going to get them back." He hissed.

The whole village looked at him with wide eyes save for the black haired man. Going after the Cretan or the Drachman armies was suicide. If you were a civilian trying to be a hero, you were shot on sight. You were not taken as a prisoner, you were not given a second glance. You died and no one would even notice.

"You can't." The soldier said.

Edward glared at him. "Shut it." He hissed. "He's the last family I have and I will get him back. And I'll do it by myself."

"No, you won't."

There was no way he was going to let this child risk his life. He couldn't sit back and watch.

The blonde looked away and began walking. "Yes I _will_." He said firmly as he passed him.

The soldier grabbed his arm tightly, glaring down into his golden eyes. "No you _won't._ You will die and then how will your brother feel? They'll keep him alive but if they catch you, you're dead. They'll do it right in front of him. Are you really going to leave your brother all alone on this planet in the shape it's in?"

His cold stare dug right into the pre teen's soul, his words piercing his heart. He looked down as the words sunk in. The bastard was right. He couldn't just leave Alphonse in this world to fend for himself. It would break his promise he made when he first saw the child. He was small and chubby, a full head of hair. His eyes twinkled when he looked back at the older one. The baby was innocent in every way and needed to be taught how to do things. Needed to be protected from the horrors of the world. What kind of big brother would he be if he broke such a promise? His golden eyes narrowed at the onyx marbles, the knife gripped tightly in his hand.

"Then help me. Help me get my brother back." He said.

The black haired man sighed, his grip loosening. "We can't go on this wild goose chase looking for-"

"You never let me say goodbye to my mother. At least let me say goodbye to Alphonse."

His hairs stood on end as he looked into the child's fire lit eyes. As much as he wanted to say no, he couldn't. The kid was right. He never did say goodbye. This was the least he could do. He nodded and stuck out his hand, his eyes looking the small child over.

"Fine. I'll help you. I am Colonel Roy Mustang of Amestris."

The blonde smirked and grabbed the hand, shaking it firmly. "I'm Edward Elric of Amestris. It's nice to meet you, Colonel Bastard."

* * *

The vroom of the truck's engine shook the whole vehicle, causing the chains to rattle against the metal. Everything was cold and struck the poor boy harshly. He shook from fear and the freezing metal cage he was trapped in. The dear had no idea what was going on, let alone where he was. The last thing he remembered was hiding Elicia in one of the sleeping bags in the back of the building they slept in.

"Ugh…" He muttered. "My head…"

Looking around, he saw a few other cages. At first, that was all he saw. But, as his eyes adjusted, he saw what they contained. Children from the village and children from all around. Some had the perfect Amestrian look, blue eyes and blonde hair. Some looked like they had come from Xing. And some, well…some had the same color eyes he had.

Golden brown.

"What's going on here?" He asked, seeing that they were all still awake.

One child looked at him, her clothes obviously show that she was obviously from Central. "Cretan military took us from home." She said, her voice soft.

"Why? Why us?" He asked.

There was no answer for the longest time, keeping him on edge and frustrating him to no end. It was a long shot to ask them but he had to try.

"They need us."

The voice jumped him and he turned, watching as the others stared back at him. Need them? They couldn't fight. Children couldn't do all to much. His brow fluffed in question as he looked the girl over again, her blue eyes shinning through her yellow blonde bangs.

"W-what? What do they need us for?"

Once again, they stayed silent. A sigh escaped Alphonse as he leaned against the cage, trying to remember how he got into such a situation. He closed his eyes as he let his thoughts roam into trying to answer his own question. Why did Creta and Drachma need them? He couldn't be of any use to them. There had to be a way out of this. Someone would have to come after him, right? Yes. Yes, someone would. Because his brother would…

His brother…

Yes, his brother. Edward will come get him.

* * *

**A/N: Have you ever written something and as you're writing it, it sounds epic in your head with all the music you have planned for it? But then, when you read it was it is, it looks like crap? Yeah, I had that moment writing this chapter. - ADAM**


	4. The beginning of the journey

**A/N: Hey, sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've had to go to see family members around the state and, for Christmas, I finally got Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. That game is ADDICTING. I love it so much. Anyway, how did your Christmas go?**

* * *

It didn't take him long to gather his things.

A bag hung off his hip, filled with a loaf of bread and a container of hot pumpkin soup. His longest sleeved shirt hung loosely off his torso, the holes allowing the cold to caress his frame. The boats he would normally wear in the winter were slapped on his feet and stretched up his leg, stopping mid-shin.

Roy Mustang looked the twelve year old over, noticing only a knife in his hand. "You…don't have any other weapon?"

Edward glared at him. "I hate weapons. Besides, I'm better at hand to hand combat."

"We'll get you some more weapons in town. It's not to far away." The soldier explained, receiving even more of a glare from the young one.

The children ran up to the pre teen, hugging his legs and begging him not to leave. Some had lost brothers in the war and some have known him since the day they were born. To see him leave was to much for any of them to handle. He smiled sadly at each of them and patted their heads, trying his hardest to calm them down.

"I'll be back before you know it, you guys." He said, his voice smoother then the soup in his bag.

A child looked up at him, his face wet from crying. He was clinging tighter then any of them and Edward knew why.

When he was brought to their small, traveling village, he had forgotten about emotions. The child had watched his own older brother fall into the hands of the Drachman military and stared as he was beaten horridly to death. If Edward was going after them, the same thing might happen to him.

He shook his head as he stared up at the blonde, holding his hand tightly. "Don't go! You'll die!" Was all he could muster out through his sobs.

A sharp ping struck the blonde's heart, grabbing it tightly as he stared down at the child. The others around him saw a heart broken child, his face pale and wet, eyes red and puffy, body trembling. But Edward only saw Alphonse staring back up at him, begging to be saved.

He allowed a sad smile to cross his face. Forcing the lump in his throat back, he bent down and patted the child on the head. "I'll be back before you even know it. With Al. And I promise nothing bad will happen."

The boy smiled sadly back and hugged him tightly. "Don't die."

"I won't. I promise."

Standing back up, the children walked away, going back to their sleeping bags and cots. Gracia took this moment to walk up to the pre teen, a clearly forced smile on her face.

"Edward," She started. "look at you. You can't go looking like this. It'll snow soon and you'll catch a cold."

He shrugged and smiled slightly, shaking his head. "It's all I have. It's not like I can buy something new."

"You're right, you can't." She said, beginning to pull something out from under her wrap. "But, thankfully, I did."

When she held it out to him, he felt his eyes go wide at the sight. There, neatly folded on her outstretched hands was a coat. Not just any coat, a brand new, red coat. Warmth seemed to pulse from it as he ran his fingers over it, a smile widening on his face. A simple symbol sat on the upper back. The black leather crest of the greatest alchemist to live, Nicholas Flamel.

She had clearly been noticing his attempts at alchemy.

"It was meant for your birthday, but I think you could use it right now." Gracia said, smiling even more as he took the present in his hands.

Edward looked it over carefully as if it would disintegrate if he sighed in it's direction. Slowly, he slipped his arms through and looked it over, smiling. "How do I look?" He asked.

The woman looked him over, shaking her head as she watched him turn a few times. Her memory raced back to when he had first came to the village, cold and hungry. When she had heard about what had happened to their mother, she quickly took the boys in. Back then, she had to learn how to raise children for she was pregnant with her first child, Elicia. Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the same pre teen that stood before her as a young child, comforting her on those nights where nothing seemed to go right. On those nights where she prayed long and hard for the war to end, for her husband to be safe during the battles.

To see a child grow up into a young man formed a lump in her throat. She shook her head once more. "Where did the time go?" She asked him, a tear falling from her eye.

The blonde's smile clearly fell as he looked her over, watching as she brought her hands to his shoulders. Her teal green eyes met his firmly but lovingly. "I want you to be careful out there, you hear me?"

"I know, Gracia."

"No." She said firmly. "I really need you to listen to me this time. If you see any fighting, run. Don't look back, just keep running."

Edward smiled softly and nodded. "I'll keep running."

With a few more exchanges of smiles and bone crushing hugs from others around him, he was off. A strong wind began to blow as he walked but he hardly felt it, smiling tauntingly. Gracia and the others watched as he and the Amestrian soldier made their way into the forest. The lump began to leave her throat until she saw him stop, seemingly having an inner battle on whether he should turn around or not.

She shook her head, looking him over. "Don't look back." She whispered, almost hoping her voice would carry on the wind.

It seemed to have worked and she smiled sadly as he continued on his way. Elicia held her mother's hand tightly as she watched as well and looked up at her with teary eyes. "Is big brother going to come back?" She asked.

Gracia nodded, picking up her daughter. "Of course. Your brother is strong. Nobody can take him down."

Taking one last glance at her adopted son, she walked off and prayed for his safety. Roy looked down at the pre teen, sighing silently with slight irritation. "If you keep stopping like this, we'll never make it to camp." He complained.

The blonde glared up at him as he began walking again. As they got further and further from the village, his eyes cast down and became soft. "This is the farthest I've been from home."

* * *

The closest Edward ever got to an actual town or city during the war was when he was first shipped to the country side. They weren't to far from Central, but close enough to watch the bombs drop from the aircrafts.

But, of course, he remembered his manners from when he once lived in Central city. Only make eye contact when speaking, don't slouch, never talk back to anyone at any time. Simple things like this. Still, even though he remembered his manners, he couldn't help but look around at what things have become.

Cretan and Drachman flags hung on every street corner, their crests on everything but the people. You could tell who were Amestrians now just by the crest they were ordered to wear on their shoulders. It marked them, showed others who they were. It almost made Edward want to glare until he saw the actual interaction everyone had toward each other.

The actual Cretan and Drachman citizens who had moved here seemed rather nice. They talked to the Amestrians as if they were friends. Everyone except for the soldiers.

Roy had taken off his outfit and changed into something more casual so that they wouldn't be stopped. He looked down at the boy and put his hood over his head, patting him. "Just stay by me. We'll be getting you a weapon, some real clothes, food, and a place to sleep tonight." He said. "If anyone asks, you're from Drachma."

Edward looked up at him with a questioning look. "Drachma?" He whispered.

The black haired man nodded. "And I'm from Xing."

The blonde nodded, looking around once more. He understood why he chose Xing for himself. On the way here, they talked about things. How Gracia was through all this, where Edward and Alphonse's father was. He had asked the soldier about his family, why he was fighting for Amestris. Roy then explained that he was born and raised in Amestris but his parents were purely from Xing, making sense of his eyes and hair. Sadly, when he was young, his parents were killed and he was taken in by his aunt.

It didn't take long to get him a new shirt, pants, and shoes. The weapon, on the other hand, proved to be a real challenge.

Roy sighed as he watched the youth browse, his patience wearing thin. "Just choose something." He angrily muttered.

"If I'm going to have a weapon, I want something cool." He muttered back, his golden eyes glaring at the other. "Besides, I never wanted one. You're making me do this."

The minutes that passed turned into an hour. Finally, the man couldn't take it anymore and grabbed the pre teen's hand roughly, dragging him to the blacksmith who worked at the back counter. He pushed the child forward. "Make something for him, please!" He almost seemed to beg.

The blacksmith looked the boy over, taking note of his pale skin and red coat. He didn't even dare ask why a twelve year old would need a weapon. After taking his mental notes, he left the table and walked calmly through the door behind him. He knew just the thing for the child. Someone else was supposed to come by and pick it up weeks ago, but nobody ever came. Picking it up, he looked it over. Silver with red gems. Small and light but sharp as a nail, just like the child seemed to be. Walking back to the table, he laid it out with it's scabbard and smiled at the two.

"Already made and paid for. It was meant for someone else but they never came by to pick it up. You two are lucky." He explained.

Grabbing the scabbard, he strapped it to his torso and slipped the blade inside. It wasn't to heavy for him at all which made him smile slightly. The blacksmith looked up at Roy with a questioning look.

"Why does he want that and not a gun?" He asked.

Roy shrugged, putting his hand on the boy's head. "He's not ready for that kind of thing."

They thanked him for the sword and made their way out, the soldier leading the way to a bar.

Edward held his hand over his nose as he tried to ignore the awful smells that entered. Vomit and urine, as well as a strong scent of beer made him sick and he began to wonder how others around the bar didn't react to the stench at all. Men tripped as they made their way out the door, mumbling about either the war, their love, or about how they really wanted to take someone out. He reached out his hand to hold onto Roy's coat sleeve but stopped.

When they walked inside, every woman seemed to know who he was. They ran up to the soldier, hugging him, telling him how their day went.

"And whose this little cutie?" One asked, noticing Edward staring.

The older man patted his shoulder, bringing him close. "This is the newest pup in the force. We need a place to stay. Is Madame Christmas here?" He asked.

One of them nodded. "She's upstairs."

With a nod and a thank you, he dragged the poor child up the set of stairs that hid in the back. The pre teen looked up at the soldier. "I thought you were going to use a different name!" He whispered, looking around for any Cretan or Drachman men.

"Ed, this is a safe haven for us Amestrians. You can always come here." He said, walking them over to a rather large woman.

She turned around and smiled at the two. "Look what the dog dragged in." She said, holding out her hand to the youth. "You may call me Madame Christmas. And you are?"

He took her hand, shaking it lightly. "Edward Elric of Amestris."

A small laugh escaped her throat as she looked the child over. "Strong name for a pup like you. Anyway, welcome to the Amestrian Safe House."

* * *

**A/N: Again, sorry for the long wait. **


	5. The serving father's news

**A/N: So, I get reviews a lot. Well, not a lot, but a decent amount of the time. Most of the time, it's 'Amazing job! Keep going!' but then there are those reviews that really stick out. Some of them are mainly, 'I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS' and some are 'I generally don't like this pairing, but you made me like it for this one story'. I've been watching and reading Fullmetal Alchemist since it came out on Adult Swim in 2005. I've role played most of the characters, cosplayed as Alphonse and Edward, and done, of course, fanfictions. But this was the first time I had ever gotten a review or reply like this. I had, apparently, kept everyone in-character. Usually, some are out of character, fitting to my storyline. So, this had made my week. Anyway, on with the fic. Hopefully, everyone stays in character with the situations I'm putting them through.**

* * *

_'At least it's a mattress…'_ was all he could think as he laid there in bed.

Considering he normally slept on the ground in a sleeping bag, this was heaven. True, nothing smelt…fresh. Or clean. But, it was heaven for his back nonetheless.

The queen sized bed itself seemed to engulf him, only his braided hair showing amongst the sheets. He kept his coat on and his shoes but left his sword and bag on the nightstand. Roy and Madame Christmas had asked him if he really needed to sleep with so much on, but he shook them off saying he'd be fine. He was bracing himself incase of a cold night or a surprise attack.

As the hours passed, all he heard was the soldier get up to use the bathroom down the hall. His body relaxed into the bed and his eyes fell closed. Once they did, his mind drifted off into a deep sleep.

There were no images in his dream that night, just voices.

Some voices spoke in different languages. Some were from children, others from teenagers.

But one voice stuck out amongst the others. It was soft and more fragile then any other little girl's voice that spoke. And it was all to familiar for his liking.

_"S-stop! Please!"_ The voice cried.

He physically cringed at the voice, hearing it call out to him, ask him for help, beg for whatever was going on to stop. For some reason, his own voice couldn't be heard. He tried his hardest to call out, to tell him that he was there. To call out his name. But nothing came out.

_"Edward…."_

_"Edward….."_

"Ed!"

A hand was placed on his shoulder, shaking it slightly. The pre teen sat up with wide eyes and looked around the room.

"Must have been some nightmare." Roy said, looking the child over.

He watched as his face dropped when he was done surveying the room. It was clear now that it was a nightmare of his greatest fears. He frowned at the sight of the boy. "Are you okay?"

The blonde nodded sadly, looking the stained blanket over. "Just a bad dream, that's all…"

Edward avoided eye contact as he crawled out of the bed, slipping his bag around his waist and his scabbard around his torso. Once he was situated, he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

He had to find Alphonse. Soon.

* * *

"All of the subjects are working fantastically."

"That's amazing to hear!"

The sounds of their voices made him sick to his stomach. Silently, he crawled into the corner of his cage and shivered as he watched their legs trot by. When they had stopped right in front of him, his blood ran cold and his skin was whiter then any snow.

"You…you found one?" One asked, clearly reading the label on the rim of the cage.

"Yes, I have." The other replied. "There's another out there we still need to look for."

"T-two?! This race…it's so _rare_! I thought they had all died off."

"All but two, Mr. Morel. And, perhaps, their parents are still alive." This voice was much to different. The accent seemed almost Amestrian.

"And you plan getting them for us? How lovely of you!" Mr. Morel spoke, his voice giving off his pure Cretan heritage. "I am surprised you are helping us and Drachma. Never has an Amestrian gone against it's own before. This is truly one for the history books!" He exclaimed as they began walking away.

"Well, my country had cast me away since I was young. The only ones that understand me are Cretans and Drachmans."

His body ached as he leaned into the cold metal, trying to listen to them as they rambled on and on about their brilliant plan. But, of course, they would never expose it in front of the 'subjects'. What if they had broken out? Then they would be able to tell everyone in Amestris and Xing. And if that happened, Creta and Drachma would lose the war and whatever they fought so hard for.

The mumbles of the two scientists died down as they left the area, the door locking behind them. Alphonse sighed and laid down, trying his hardest to close his eyes. All he wanted was at least one hour of sleep.

_'Brother will come get me soon.'_ He thought, feeling what little body heat he had left warm the metal base of the cage.

_'Brother wouldn't leave me behind…'_

* * *

Edward leaned back in his chair as he watched women dance, men drink, and music play loudly. He wanted to leave this place and start his search again, with fresh air. When he asked Roy about it, he explained that it was dangerous enough just walking into the city. They had to sit and wait for backup to arrive before leaving.

_'But why in the hell do we have to wait here?'_ He thought, watching soldiers fumble around with concubines.

The door swung open, a civilian and four soldiers standing with him. He screamed something that made the Cretan soldiers cheer and run for the bar, downing more shots then anyone else. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Roy nod over to him. With a deep sigh, he stood up and slowly made his way over to him and the civilian, making sure not to get in anyone's way. He learned the hard way earlier that it was the worst thing to do in a bar.

The two smiled at the small blonde and walked him out, not saying a single word. The youth, on the other hand had so many questions. Who was this mysterious man? What had just happened? But he knew better then to ask such questions in public.

The man put a hand on the child's head, smiling as he pushed him over to a car. "In ya go, kid." He said, his voice more fatherly then forceful.

Without asking where they were going exactly, he climbed into the car and watched as the older two sat out front. When the doors were all closed and they made their way out toward the forest, the man sighed.

"Man, I tell you, it was hard getting those guards to leave their posts." The man chuckled.

Roy nodded. "I bet it was, Hughes."

Edward's ears perked and the hairs on the back of his neck went up on end. Hughes? As in _Maes Hughes_? He looked the man over with wide eyes and his mouth became numb.

"H-Hughes?" He muttered with a stutter.

The man nodded. "My last name." He said.

There was silence as they drove, the blonde's eyes returning to normal as he looked up at the rearview mirror and straight at the other's face. He shuddered as he fought against himself. Should he tell him about Gracia? Half of him ran against the notion, saying that it would only distract the man. The other voted it, saying that he must be worried. He remembered that Gracia cried almost every week due to not knowing if Maes was alive or not. When he had told her to write a letter, she told him she couldn't. One of the last things Maes ever told his wife was to never send him letters in fear that the enemy would find her.

"Gracia is alright." He said, watching the soldier's reaction.

His eyes had gone wide at her name and he glanced at the child in the back. "Oh?"

Edward nodded, looking out the window. "She misses you. I met her when I was shipped off. She had a child. A healthy little girl. Her name is Elicia and she's very proud of you."

Roy looked over at his childhood friend, noticing the tears that sat on the rim of his eyelids. Maes' bottom lip quivered as he began to open his mouth, his voice clearly showing his effort to hold back his emotions.

"Does…does she look like her mother?" He asked, glancing at the youth once more.

He looked up at the mirror and smiled softly, nodding. "Yes. A spitting image."

The rest of the ride was full of silence as Hughes tried his best to keep calm. Hearing that his wife had given birth to a healthy baby and that his daughter was proud of him was to much for him to hear. He almost wanted to ask where they were so he could see them but he kept himself from doing so. If he had gone to see them, he would have put them in danger. If only there was no war…

"Where are we going?" Edward finally asked after a while.

Roy looked over at him, noticing his droopy eyes. "To camp. We have to train you, of course."

The blonde glared at him and looked out the window. He truly hated all of this. Countless lives have been taken. And for what exactly? He never knew. There have been rumors that it was because of the way Amestris treated the countries around it. Some say that the leaders of Creta and Drachma simply wanted more land.

Nobody really knows. One day, enemy planes started swooping about, bombing everything in sight. No warning, no reason.

They started a war just for bloodshed.

And, now, he was being forced to become a part of it. It wouldn't be long before he, too, stepped onto the battle field.

Roy noticed the disgusted look on his face and turned away, sighing. He knew why Edward never trained himself to actually kill anyone who stepped on his ground. He would know better then anyone.

Killing stains the soul, after all. And his soul could never be clean, even if it bathed in bleach for years.

"Just stay by me." He said to the child. "Do that and you won't ever have to kill."

* * *

**A/N: Nawww. Father-son moment. Anyway, yeah. Hughes finds out he has a daughter~**


	6. The undercover rescue

**A/N: Please excuse the ending to this chapter for I am half asleep. Sorry if it's crap.**

* * *

The sounds of grunts echoed throughout the hallowed valley, followed by the sounds of chopping wood.

Out of breath, the pre teen looked over at his mentor and watched him stick a cigarette into his mouth, lighting it with just a snap of his fingers. He looked back at the four logs in front of him, still panting from attacking them. Surprisingly, his sword stayed in his sweaty hands.

"Again." Roy told the boy, leaning back in his chair.

The blonde turned to him once more, almost glaring. "I'm trying as hard as I can!"

"Not hard enough. Keep going until you can cut a log with one go." He said, blowing out a puff of smoke. It was a nasty habit that he needed to stop. And he promised himself he would…after the war.

Edward huffed and began swinging at the log again, watching as it fell. The logs were, indeed, rather thin but were still hard to cut. It bothered him that no matter how hard he tried, it wasn't good enough. When he first started two days ago, everything he did seemed to be wrong. His posture wasn't right, the way he held his blade was all wrong, and his stance was horrible. He spent most of the first day just trying to get the swing right. And every time he got through the logs he had, that soldier would round up so more for him. At first, he began yelling at him, telling him that this was useless. But, once the words flew out of his mouth, Roy began telling him that he was a Colonel, that he knew what he was doing.

'Colonel my ass…' The blonde thought as the log fell after about fifteen slices.

"Again, Ed." He heard and huffed with even more anger, attacking another log.

Maes walked out of the tent that stood behind the Colonel, watching as the child swung his sword. "Don't you think you're being to hard on him?" He asked his childhood friend.

Roy shook his head, sucking in the cigarette and puffing out the smoke once more. "He needs to learn how to fight if he wants his brother back. If he can cut down one of those logs in one swipe, he can slice the head off anyone."

The other nodded, sighing slightly. "Can you at least help him a little more?" He asked.

Every morning for the past few days, he had woken up to the sounds of the poor child trying to cut down a log. And every night, he had to drag him away from the training sight so he could get at least three hours of rest. It was hard to watch him push till no end with no success after. 'Fatherly feelings' is what the others called it.

He looked up at Maes, putting his cigarette on the ground. "You want me to help him?" Standing up, he stepped on it to put it out completely. "Fine. I'll help him."

Edward didn't notice as Roy walked over. But he did when he stopped his arms and picked up the log, throwing it aside. The blonde glared at him in anger.

"What the hell?!" He asked, watching as the Colonel picked up a brand new log and placed it in front of him.

"You aren't even trying."

Rage began building through the child, turning his glare into daggers. How dare he say he wasn't trying! He was trying his very hardest! Considering the twelve year old never had experience with any weapons other then his knife, he thought he was pretty good.

"You need to hit it harder, more force." Roy explained, standing off to the side. "I want you to concentrate."

With a nod, Edward turned back to the log, striking it with his sword to only make a small cut in the side. He tugged it out with a grunt and looked at his superior for advice. But all he got was a disapproved look.

The black haired man shook his head. "You have no passion."

"Shut up! That's the hardest I can do!"

For a moment, the soldier stood in thought. There had to be some way to make this boy angry beyond his breaking point. And then it hit him, causing him to smirk. Hughes sighed at the sight of it. Usually, his smirks meant he was up to no good. He shook his head and mumbled, watching to make sure he didn't sadden the child.

Roy patted the top of the log. "This log, right here, is someone you despise."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at the man. "What…?"

"I don't want you to see a log. I want you to see the man that took your brother away from you." He said, walking to stand behind him. "Who knows what that man could be doing to him. Or what has already happened to him."

He smiled as he watched the boy's little hands ball into tight fists around his sword. His plan was going perfectly. "Maybe he sold him into slavery. Or maybe, Alphonse is his own personal slave."

The child's arms began to shake in anger, his eyes flickering from the deadly fire that raged inside. "Or maybe, he's not alive. Maybe he was killed as soon as he got his hands on him. And he never let you say goodbye."

With one swift motion, Edward lifted his sword and swung it at the middle of the log, slicing it in half. The top fell to the ground with a thud, missing his foot by half an inch. But it didn't seem to cross his mind that it would hit him, nothing else crossed his mind except for Alphonse. He jumped over the fallen log and sliced at the next one he saw, then the last one that stood. When there were no more logs to hit, he felt his arms grow tired as he panted. His sword tapped the ground as his shoulders relaxed and he turned to the soldier behind him, receiving a smile and a nod. The blonde nodded back with a tired smile.

Maes sighed silently with a smile on his face as well. "Good job, Ed." He muttered. "Let's just hope you're really ready for what's to come."

* * *

Everything was colder then normal. The corner of the cage he had sat in didn't seem to get any warmer throughout the day. Alphonse looked down at his hands, noticing that they had gotten smaller and skinner. It really didn't help that he had not been served food for a few days and he blamed his loss of heat from it. With a heavy sigh, he looked around at the empty cages that littered the room. True, some still held living people, but most of the children he had been brought here with were gone. He had no idea what had happened to them. The scientists just came in like they did everyday, took a child or two and left. Sometimes, he thought he heard screaming down the hall but he always shook his head at the noise and tried his best to sleep.

The dirty-blonde boy jumped at the sound of the door opening and tried his best to shrink in his corner, hoping that they wouldn't notice him and continue walking by.

"Thank you for showing me around." Said a woman.

The two began walking down the hallway, looking into cages and shaking them slightly to see if it's contents were still alive. "It's no problem, Elizabeth. Welcome to the team." A man said, wheezing slightly as he spoke.

Alphonse's heart sunk into his stomach when he saw a pair of legs stop. It turned cold with fear when the owner of those legs bent their knees and looked him straight in the eye. Her brown-gold eyes and blonde hair reminded him of his brother. He stared back at her, looking her over for any sign of food. She began to lift her hand to her waist, her mouth twisting into a smile of compassion. His body became cold when he saw her pull out a gun from her belt.

"Now, you don't need to know all their names because it doesn't really ma-"

His sentence was cut short when the woman stood up, shooting the gun right at him. The children gasped as they watched him fall, blood pouring from his body faster then anything they had seen. Elizabeth didn't seem to carry any remorse as she went to each cage and opened it, telling them to wait by the door. When she had gotten to Alphonse, she smiled and held out her hand.

"Alphonse?" She asked.

The eleven year old looked at her and nodded. "Y-yes?" He asked, his voice soft and shaken.

"I've been sent to save you and take you to your brother. My name is Riza. You can trust me."

* * *

The only thing to pass his mind was that he let him down. And, in his eyes, there was nothing worse he could have done to his younger brother. His only family.

When the two were young, their father had left them without reason. Their mother had told them that he had just went out for a small trip and that he would be back soon. The poor boy remembered sitting on the window sill in the living room, his face pressed up against the glass. Every time a car passed by and slowed down, his heart jumped with hope that it would be his father. But then, they would pull up in their neighbor's driveway and his heart would sink again.

"Edward, why don't you come listen to the program on the radio with your brother?" his mother always asked him.

The blonde would shake his head, putting his little hands on the glass to see if he could push it out so he could get a better look. "No mom," he would say. "I need to keep a lookout for dad."

…This continued for a year.

On the day of his sixth birthday, Edward stopped looking out the window for his father. He knew that he wasn't on a trip. He knew he had left them.

As he sat listening to his friends and family sing to him, he stared at the candles on the cake. Maybe, if he wished hard enough, it might actually come true.

"Close your eyes and make a wish!" His little brother told him, watching.

The blonde did as he was told and closed his eyes tightly, pressing his lips together in thought. And he wished. He wished for his father to come back and for everything to be the way it was.

The memories and thoughts brought tears to his eyes as he stared at the ceiling of the tent. Of course, he never let them pass the lids. With a big, heavy sigh, they washed back into his body. Crying was a sign of weakness, a sign of vulnerability. He was too strong to do something such as that.

Edward sat up in his cot and slipped on his boats, getting ready to walk outside.

'Maybe some fresh air will clear my mind…' He thought and walked out.

It was a good thing he did, because the sight in front of him was breathtaking. Snow had softly began to fall, the ground covered in a layer. And, they weren't just small flakes. They were big and thick, covering everything in it's range. The light from the moon turned everything a brilliant blue, causing the snow to glitter a soft silver.

It all gave him a sense of peace and hope. He smiled and closed his eyes. His birthday would be here soon and he would finally be thirteen. With his friends, mother, and brother singing in the back of his head, he began to make a wish.

A wish that Alphonse was safe, warm, and unharmed.

"I'm coming for you." He whispered to himself, hoping that the wind would carry his voice.

* * *

**A/N: I'm gonna go back to sleep. *yawn* - ADAM **


	7. The father

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait.**

* * *

The question hung onto the tip of his tongue, making him scratch his arm nervously. His body vibrated with the car as they drove. They had only been driving for an hour, but it had felt like a day. The others in the back seemed to had fallen asleep and those that hadn't looked to be on their breaking point. When he turned to the driver, he was almost taken back at how calm and firm she looked. Her eyes seemed unblinking and only moved to look at the side view mirrors. He began wondering how someone could not be tired at this hour. With a yawn, he looked back down at his feet.

_'Should I ask…?'_ He asked himself.

Somewhere deep down, he felt that Riza knew what was happening to him and the others. Why so many of them disappeared. Why they were needed in the first place.

"Is something the matter?"

Her voice made him jump, his neck getting whiplash from turning to her so quick. "W-what?" He stuttered, rubbing his collarbone.

She laughed slightly at his reaction and glanced at him. "Usually, when one digs into their arm like that, they have a question."

Alphonse looked down at his arm to see blood coming to the surface. He didn't even realize how hard he was scratching. It scared him slightly to know that he didn't feel any pain coming from his arm. Anything could happen to him and he wouldn't have felt a thing.

"Yeah…" He mumbled. "I do have a question."

"Well, I'm sure I have answers."

He pressed his lips together in thought. How much could she actually know? There was only one way to find out.

"Why…why were we needed?" He asked. Once the words had passed his lips, he realized that maybe it was best not to know.

Riza stayed quiet as she, too, ran around her mind in thought. Her silence seemed to stretch for thirty minutes until she finally spoke. "Have you ever heard of the Philosopher's stone, Alphonse?"

The boy nodded as he looked over the woman's expressionless face. In truth, he had only heard about it once or twice from his older brother's alchemy books. But since he only had one or two books, he didn't know much about the stone and it's powers. "Yes, I've heard of it."

"Amestris is a powerful country. We've kept everyone in check up to this point in history. True, our neighboring countries have thought our ways to be wrong and we've gotten into wars with them. But most of what we've done was to keep balance. Creta was the first country to catch wind of the Philosopher's stone. They think they know what's best for the world and think they could improve on what we have. Once they knew about the stone's power, they reported to Drachma and asked for help."

"But, don't they have alchemy over there? How could they not know about the stone?" He asked.

"We've kept it a secret from them." She answered, glancing over at him. "The first mention of the stone came from the lost country of Xerxes. When our countries were made, we kept the secret to ourselves and killed others who knew."

Alphonse stared at her as he listened, nodding every once and a while to show he was, indeed, paying attention.

"Now, they are looking for 'pure' people. Pure Amestrians, pure Xings. They believe that their blood is worth more then anyone else's." She began pulling the car up to a gate, looking over at the boy as she continued. "Your parents must have been from Xerxes. The rarest race of them all at this point."

The dirty blonde raised an eyebrow at her. "How can you tell?" He asked, rubbing his arm again.

"We are trained to know a race based on their physical appearance." She answered, turning back to the gate as it's guards walked over.

They asked for her name, her identification card, and how well the mission had went. After answering, they went back to their posts and opened the gate, allowing her entry into the rather large base. Alphonse looked around, staring at everything he could. His new surroundings reminded him of when he was a child, walking around Central with his older brother. The two would sometimes sneak into the Military Headquarters and watch the soldiers practice their skills. They would then sneak out and practice them at home in their backyard.

The child looked over at Riza. "Where are we?"

"We're at the main base for the Amestrian Military. Not to far from Central. Your brother has yet to arrive, but I'm sure they're on their way."

* * *

"Can't this car go _any_ faster?" The blonde groaned in frustration.

"You'll just have to wait. We aren't that far." Maes replied, glancing at the pre teen through his rear view mirror.

With a sigh, the boy leaned against the window and stared at everything that passed by. The snow wasn't as bad as it was that night, but it still softly fell down. Just the very sight of everything seemed to calm his nervous and loosen his muscles, making his eyes flutter closed. Since he had began looking for his brother, he still slept the same way he always did; ears wide open and body tense with knife in hand. But, at that moment, the vibration and heat the car gave off rocked him to sleep. His mind drifted off into an unknown, dark place. The child looked around, trying to see if anyone was with him. He heard what sounded like a whistle not to far away and began running toward it.

_**Bang!**_

A flash of light stopped him in his tracks. Edward blinked his eyes as blurred, moving objects came into view. When everything became clear, his heart stopped. The moving objects were people, screaming as they ran. Looking down, he noticed how close he was to the ground.

"Brother!" He heard from far away.

"Al…phonse?" The blonde whispered, looking around for the source of the voice.

Without a second thought, he began running. It didn't take long for the cold air to sting his lungs. The road seemed longer then it had actually been, the running making his legs cramp in pain. He kept going, though, looking for his little brother.

"Alphonse?!" He called out.

Soon, a small child came into view, his face twisted in fear. The blonde's arms wrapped around the boy, squeezing him lovingly. Edward wanted to hold him tighter, pull him into a building to warm themselves up in. But, before he could, Alphonse pushed him off, looking up at him.

"Brother, we have to get on the train!"

Sadly, he couldn't move his legs. Looking down, nothing seemed to be wrong with them. There was no ice nor snow that would stop his legs from moving. As he tugged at them, the feeling of arms wrapping around him forced him to look up. It was the Colonel, glaring at the train as he pulled the boy.

"Come on!" He said.

"But, my-" He began to say as he turned his head.

His eyes went wide at the sight. A large piece of the building nearby laid on the ground, blood splattered all over. The bodies of his mother and younger brother not to far away, their heads completely severed.

Edward screamed at the sight and felt his body jerk back.

"Are you alright?!" Maes asked as he turned to the child, watching as he opened his eyes.

The blonde looked around, holding his neck as he did. His panting slowly calmed and ended with a deep sigh. He nodded his head, fiddling with his fingers. "Y-yeah…I'm alright." He whispered out the lie.

"Good…" The soldier whispered back. "We need to get out of the car."

"Why? Where are we?"

"We're in Central. Or, what's left of it anyway. We need gas if we're going any farther."

The three climbed out of the car. Roy and Maes seemed unaffected by their surroundings, but Edward, on the other hand, looked around with a long face. He remembered walking down this very street to the candy store as if it had happened yesterday. Now, the store was in complete shambles. It broke his heart to know that the city in which he had grown up in now was nothing but a ghost town.

"Shame, really." Roy mumbled as he walked around. "This place was very nice."

The blonde didn't acknowledge the comment, walking down the street. He held the map of the entire city in his head. Every nook and cranny had not been unexplored.

All he could hear was the wind as he walked and it scared him in a way. He had to stop a few times and reach for his sword, thinking he was being followed. A few seconds later, he would begin walking once more. Pieces of houses and buildings lay sprawled across the street, but he didn't take notice. He was to busy looking up at one window. His imagination brought him back to better days, when he used to look out that very window in hopes his father would arrive home. A sigh escaped through his nose as he stared through the eyes of a younger him, wishing that he was really back in time. Edward looked back down at his feet as he walked up the steps and easily opened the door. His voice came up but stopped at the tip of his tongue. It took his entire being to stop him from calling out and announcing his arrival home. Nobody would call back from the kitchen, asking him if he was hungry or if he wanted some lemonade.

The inside looked worse then it did outside. Wallpaper had started peeling off the walls, almost everything was taken, the drawers and cabinets were left open. The place was an utter wreck and it churned the blonde's stomach as he walked up the stairs to the second floor.

His and Alphonse's bedroom didn't look any different.

The windows were busted, the beds were stripped, and every one of their toys were missing. Or, so it seemed. He chuckled as he walked over to the closet. Once inside, he bent down and slipped his finger into a small hole in the wall. When he pulled it back, a small door opened, showing a teddy bear with a cape inside. Nobody knew about this secret, not even Al. He would always hide this special bear here from him, telling him he could never have it. Captain was the toy's name. Reaching over, he grabbed the bear and held him close as he walked down the stairs to the living room again. Even though he hated his father, he still would hold this bear, the last birthday present he ever got from him. He would tell it his secrets, his wishes and dreams. It was like his last connection to him.

Walking into the living room, he could still hear his and Alphonse's laughter and smell his mother's cookies baking in the oven. He stood by the window and looked out like he had done before as a child, Captain hanging from his hand.

To his best effort, he tried to imagine what life would be like if there was no war. Would his father had stayed? Would they still be living here? Or, would he still be waiting by the window? None of those questions would be answered and it sent him into slight depression. That is, until he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

He held his breath and hoped that it was either Roy or Maes. His heart froze in fear and his stomach threatened to release all of it's contents as the steps came closer and closer. All of his courage left him as the movement stopped and he felt the color drain from his face. The voice he heard next, he never thought he would hear again.

"Edward?"

* * *

**A/N: I looked it up, and, in fact, the countries bordering Amestris do hate Amestris. Oh god, this chapter sucks. I'm sorry, I really am.**


	8. AUTHOR'S LETTER

**A/N: I'm very sorry for not updating on anything.**

**In December, the day after Christmas, my grandfather passed away. He was the only grandpa I had considering my mother's father wanted nothing to do with us. We called him Popo and yes, he lived in the south. **

**He was a fireman for a long time and would come to visit only a few times out of the year. I remember when I was little, he used to call up every December and pretend to be Santa, asking me and my sister what we wanted for Christmas. **

**He was there for me when my sister passed away and always seemed to make me laugh. He smiled even though he was in pain. For a while, he was in the hospital but always spoke with a happy tone when we talked on the phone. What had happened to him? Popo was old and fell on his hip, breaking it. Apparently, a shard of the bone entered his heart. Those are the only details I know.**

**Since I live in the north and he was down south, I could not go see him. We said our goodbyes over the phone a few hours before he finally passed. Since my father's side of the family wants nothing to do with him, we were not allowed to go to the funeral. **

**In short, I fell into a state of depression. Since I already have it but don't have pills to help it, not even writing could seem to help me out of it.**

**Again, I am very sorry and I will update soon. - ADAM**


	9. The reunion

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay. Warning for crappy writing. Also warning for sailor talk(swears).**

* * *

_The sound of laughter filled his ears, making his heart sink more. Nobody dared to go near the child in fear that he would attack. Or, worse. Cry._

_As the night continued on, the boy's party hat slowly began to fall until it covered over one ear. The cake beside him had gotten stale, his hands and nose frozen from the overly cold window. Outside, snow fell silently and covered everything it touched. On most days, the sight of the white flakes gave him joy. But today was not like most days._

_"Dear?" He heard from behind him._

_His mother placed a hand on his shoulder, almost forcing him to turn. "Why aren't you playing with your friends? It's your birthday, you should be having fun."_

_The blonde frowned and gazed upon the slice of cake he had easily neglected. "I wish dad was here…"_

_Her child's words clung to her heart but yet, she smiled. She silently pulled the small boy into a hug in hopes to comfort him. Never would she admit it, but she felt the same way. Her husband, her children's father had missed so much of their lives. It would be hard for him to catch up if he were to reappear._

_"I know, Ed. But you should at least try and have some fun. Your brother is worrying about you…"_

_Edward looked over his mother's shoulder to see his younger brother standing not so far away. With a deep sigh, he nodded and grabbed his stuffed bear, Captain, before walking over to take the other's hand._

_"Is dad coming home?"_

_"No, Alphonse. Dad's never coming back…"_

* * *

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" His words dripped past his lips like venom, his eyes made of fire.

Edward tensed at the sight of his father. One wrong move on the other's part and the blonde would unwind, driving his fist into the other's jaw. Slowly, his father lifted his hands in defense, his expression blank.

"I came to see if you all would still be here."

The calmness in Hohenheim's voice only fed the fire.

"Why would we fucking be _here_?! We were _bombed_! They evacuated the entire city! Mom…! Mom…she…she died in the bomb raid!" His body shook from anger and pain.

His father stared at him for a moment before turning to look at a wall. "Trisha is gone?"

Edward gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing even more. "Did I _stutter_? She's gone and you didn't even know! You didn't even…"

The blonde stopped for a moment, his head hanging low so his hair could hide his emotions. Damn this lump in his throat.

_'No…Don't cry…nobody can know your weakness…_

_You're the strongest…act like it!'_

"You're useless…" He muttered, bringing his head back up to glare at his father. "You're useless! What was so important you had to leave us, huh?! **Fuck you**!"

With that, the pre teen stomped out of the building and headed toward the car. The two soldiers glanced over, causing him to sigh and relax slightly. If they knew, they would just take Hohenheim's side. Hughes would scream at him, telling him how hard it must be for his father; to come home knowing your wife is dead and your son loathes you. Edward was alone in a way and he hated it. Roy Mustang crossed his arms as he leaned against the car and watched the pre teen walk toward him.

"Where'd you go? We finally got gas in the car." He asked, looking the child over.

The other shook his head. "Nowhere. Let's get going."

Right away, he knew there was something wrong with the boy. His eyes showed anger and were kept away from his own, his hands seemed to shake in his pockets. Roy grabbed his arm, staring him down.

"Edward, what happened?" He asked, his voice firm.

The blonde's golden eyes pierced into him, his voice showing how irritated he truly was. "Nothing." He whispered through his teeth.

It was clear now that this child would not tell him anything anytime soon. Fuck…if Hughes wasn't standing right there, he would have slapped it out of him. But, since he was, Roy let the boy go and leaned away from him to climb into the car.

"Wait!" They heard not to far away.

Edward swore under his breath and continued, sitting and soon slamming the car door. The soldiers, on the other hand, turned to face the oldest blonde running toward them, a stuffed animal in hand. Maes raised an eyebrow in question as he watched.

"Who're you?" Hughes asked, his hand resting firmly on his gun's holster.

Hohenheim put up a hand as he caught his breath and began to explain. As the story went on, Roy looked down into the car window to see the youngest playing with his fingers and trying his best to keep his eyes down. He let out a sigh through his nose and placed a hand on the bumbling father's shoulder, staring him down firmly.

Since he was a child, Roy Mustang always fought for the weak, the scared, the one's that simply couldn't fight. Most of his baby teeth were lost while fighting for what he thought was right. And, sometimes, it might not have been right. He would hate to admit it, but some of his friends in his youth were not the brightest and loved to see how far they could go before one of them was killed. Some of them even getting broken bones. At the time, it was harmless fun and whenever they were chastised, Roy always stood up for them. As he grew older, though, he realized just how dangerous things were and stopped his buds from going to far. Many times, his mother praised him, telling him how good of a father he would be.

Eger to become one, he married at the young age of twenty four. He and his wife lived happily in the west, soon having a child together. A son who held the same strong onyx eyes as he carried. "Strong eyes means a strong soul, a strong will. I know you will do great things someday," He would tell his son as he put him to sleep.

In many ways, his life was perfect. Every day was sunny and birds always sang a happy tune.

But one day, Roy noticed that the whistling he heard outside were not from mockingbirds.

Bombs. Everywhere. They helped litter the small town in bodies and blood. As he ran out to help, he felt something drop into his stomach. Something that dropped then skyrocketed to his head, telling him that he shouldn't leave his house. But, he did.

When he came back to the blown, charcoaled remains of his home and family, he regretted leaving. Amongst the ruin was a small, blue bracelet that only needed to be washed. The toy-like jewelry brought tears to his eyes as he read the Xingese character that was engraved on the band. 'Strong' stood out in yellow and almost seemed to yell at the man not to cry.

He placed the blue band on his wrist and walked away, not daring to look back.

And as he stood in front of the blonde elder, he couldn't help but feel protective over Edward. After spending all that time together, he began thinking of the twelve year old as a son. _His_ son.

"Where's…where's my youngest? Where's Alphonse?" Hohenheim asked, looking around frantically.

Roy sighed and released his hand. "Missing. We've been looking for him."

_'Don't attack him…'_ He thought to himself, feeling his arm shake with anger. Knowing that this man caused _his_ adopted son pain made his blood boil and his hand curl into a fist in his pocket.

"May I go with you?" The older man asked. "Please, let me help. He's my son."

Hughes nodded, watching Roy with a close eye. "Sure. Get in the back."

Edward tensed as he heard the doors open and feel the presence of the others sit around him. He stared out the window, acting as bored as he could. As the engine started up and the car began to move, his body began to relax again, his mind drifting off. That is, until he felt something slide onto his lap.

He looked down and saw his old stuffed bear, Captain sitting in his lap. His father's hand let go of the bear's ear and moved out of his vision.

"Happy birthday, Ed."

* * *

The snow fell softly, quietly. It was beautiful how it came down and covered the land. It almost seemed as if the snow was dancing. Like small fairies falling from the sky with such grace…

He always thought about snow this way. In truth, he never really liked winter all that much. Always getting sick, always cold. There was only a few things he liked about the season. The snow, Yule, their holiday. And his older brother's birthday. Yes, that was his favorite thing about winter.

Even though he hated walking in the cold, he had to get out of his room. It wasn't small at all. Actually, it was rather big and spacious. But the thought of being inside scared him at the moment. Riza told him that it was understandable and that she would accompany him outside. The two had been walking around for an hour or two, just staring at the sky silently.

"When do you think brother will be here?" Alphonse asked as he looked at the moon, taking in it's gorgeous rays of light.

The blonde woman shrugged and turned her head to glance around them. "I'm not sure. But it's a safe guess to say they'll be here soon."

He nodded and continued walking, thinking things over. From the sounds of it, he had been gone for a few months. If what he had been hearing around the base was correct, this month was indeed February, the month of Edward's birth. The exact date was unknown to him. He sighed as he shuffled, watching as the snow stuck to his shoes.

During his time at the base, Riza told him everything he wanted to know about his brother's whereabouts. At first, his questions came out fast and his words were jumbled together. When she finally managed to calm him down, she told him everything she knew. Roy Mustang had called her from the Safe House, informing her of what had happened. As soon as she heard about the child, she tried her hardest to influence him to keep the boy there. The more she tried to push it on him, though, the more he fought. The more he told her that the boy needed to be by his side so he knew what happened to him day and night.

She told Alphonse about the mission she was given that night, the mission to save him and anyone else that might have been taken. Sadly, she could not save everyone. After Riza had told him all he needed to know, she brought him to his room and showed him the bath. It had been a while since he took a decent bath. Back in his traveling village, they had a metal bassoon. Once a week, they would fill it up with boiling water and one by one, they all took a bath. Youngest to oldest. So, by the time he got to it, the water was dirty. Having a bath all to himself felt nice and for once in a long time, he actually felt clean. His hair no longer stuck to his head from the grease it produced but rather puffed out. Riza had to slap his hands away from his head during dinner because he kept getting the urge to stroke his hair.

Alphonse smiled as he walked near the base's gate with her, hearing a sound he never thought he would hear.

A car was pulling up.

His eyes went wide and he pressed his face up to the bars like a child during the holidays, eager to receive his present. The guards stopped the car and walked up to the driver's window, asking the usual questions.

A slight pout began to form on his face as he looked into the car. The only light came from the moon and it didn't shine near them. He began to think it was normal soldiers, coming back from battle. That is, until the backseat door opened.

"Alphonse!" His brother screamed, rushing toward the gate.

"Brother!" He cheered back, feeling tears fall from his face.

The guards allowed them through, opening the gate to let them in. Without even a moment of thought, the two wrapped their arms around each other, the youngest crying in his older brother's shoulder.

Edward smiled happily and stroked his hair. "You're alive…" He said, trying to make his voice steady. "But what're you crying for? Crying is for the weak…"

Alphonse shook his head, smiling up at him. "I'm just so happy!" He exclaimed, digging his head back into the other's shoulder.

No one dared to interfere in the reunion between the two. Not even Hohenheim. He just sat by and smiled, watching his two sons. They were so big, so tall, so old.

Where did the time go?

* * *

**A/N: I had to re-read this over and over to make sure I wrote mockingbird and not mockingjay. I've been reading and watching to much Hunger Games...Oh well. - ADAM**


	10. The start of Alchemy research

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. Sorry for the long wait. Warning, this one sucks.**

* * *

"His name is Black Hayate. He's Miss. Hawkeye's dog."

"He's a very good dog."

"I think so, too."

The dog laid in between the two on the bed, trying to keep his eyes open as he listened in on their conversation.

Both brothers had been petting him softly while they chatted, Edward talking about his ride over and Alphonse bringing up a few things that the scientists had brought up in the facility. He tried his hardest not to bring up the children or the things they had done to them. If anyone knew Edward the most, it was him and he knew that if he told him all the cruel, horrible things that happened, the blonde would never forgive himself.

The times his older brother did ask about what happened to him, the younger would only shrug and say 'I don't remember'. He smiled as he looked down at the dog, petting him happily. "So, you seem attached to this Mustang character." Alphonse said.

Edward shrugged and looked the dog over, watching his younger brother's hand move across his back. "Not really. It's a love-hate relationship." He said, moving his attention to his nails.

Boy, did he need to clip them.

Silently, he began nibbling at them, only bringing his fingers out when he needed to talk. "Besides, we'll be going home soon and all of this will be over."

The other shook his head as he thought everything over. By what the scientists had said, they'd do anything to get their hands on them. Slaughter innocent people even. His brother didn't notice, his teeth biting down as his eyes followed Alphonse's hand. The two sat there in silence for a time before Riza finally came up and told them it was time for lights out.

Alphonse reached over and grabbed hold of the blonde's sleeve. "Can he sleep in my room tonight? Please?"

She sighed and looked them over. The way his eyes sparkled in his child like plea only made her smile ever so slightly.

"I guess." She said. "Just for this one night."

With that, she closed the door. On the other side, she could hear the child's excited giggling. A small, soft sigh escaped her as she began walking down the hallway, making her way to her own room. The sounds of paper shuffling and frustrated mumbling pulled her attention toward an open door. Looking in, she saw Roy, flipping through books and scribbling on paper like there was no tomorrow. She leaned against the door way and crossed her arms, watching the event.

"You know, sir, you need sleep." She said, making her voice firm and loud so he could hear her over his mess.

The man sighed and glanced over at her. "Not now. I need to find a place the boys could relocate to." He turned back to his work and looked over the map the laid under the stacks of paper. "Keeping them here is too dangerous."

Riza felt herself frown at the comment. Ever since she had brought the children to the base, she thought it was more dangerous anywhere else. Knowing where they were and that they were safe was much better then dropping them on someone else's doorstep, never knowing if they were sick or hurting. Whenever she saw those kids, laughing, crying, playing…she wanted to protect them. To make sure nothing ever happened to them. She had heard of this feeling before, but never seemed to understand it until now. Yes, it was her maternal instinct.

"I think we should keep them here." She said, stepping into the room.

The Colonel froze in his place and completely turned to look at the Lieutenant. He raised an eyebrow, hoping he had heard her wrong. "_Excuse_ me?"

"The children, all of them, should be kept here." She said again, firm and loud once more. "They would be safe with us."

He scuffed and shook his head, turning back to his papers. "No. It's dangerous here. We're soldiers, not _babysitters_."

"But sir, they could get hurt anywhere else."

"Stand down…"

"If they were here, we could protect them. We could make sur-"

"I said _stand down_!" He screamed, his voice loud and overly demanding. Roy stood up, his arm sweeping across the desk as he turned to his subordinate causing the papers and books to fly everywhere.

"Don't you think I've thought of that?!" He boomed, his face becoming red. "It's dangerous here! They'll know where they all are if they stay here! We can't protect every child!"

Riza stood there and stared at the man, her eyes slightly wider then normal. Where had all this come from? When he screamed at them to stand down, which was hardly ever, he would merely sigh, mumble a 'sorry', and continue giving orders or crack a joke. He never had such an outburst before that turned his face such a shade and caused his voice to rise this high. She frowned and nodded.

"Understood sir." And with that, she left.

Roy stared at the door, his breathing slowly going back to normal. His mind was fuzzy and he couldn't remember what had just happened for a minute or two. Sitting back down, he held his head in his hands. His action toward the woman surprised even himself. But, what he said had been true. If they knew that everyone was here, then winning this war would be a piece of cake. He weaved his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath as he thought everything out. In truth, he wanted them all to stay. To stay and live close by so he could keep an eye on them. Especially Edward and Alphonse. Doing this, though, would cause more damage. And it was selfish. To save them, to keep them safe, he would have to let them go and live somewhere else. As much as it hurt him to do so, he'd have to.

With a long, drown out sigh, the Colonel stood up and decided to take a walk around the base. To clear his mind and sooth him. Walking out, he heard the conversation of the two brothers from down the hall. He continued and stopped by the bedroom door, silently listening in.

"…be fine, Al. I promise." Edward said soothingly, trying to calm his younger brother down.

The other Elric sniffled, sounding sick as he talked. "Are you sure, Brother?"

"Yeah. I'll protect you, Hughes will protect you…and maybe even that bastard will."

Alphonse chuckled at his swearing. "Yeah…Goodnight."

"Night."

After hearing the two, he bit his lip and continued his walk around the building. All he could think of as he walked was how much the, now, thirteen year old had grown. When he first met him, the blonde was throwing rocks at him with horrible aim. Now, he could handle weapons like nobody he had ever seen. The boy had grown, yes, but he was still a child. One with strong eyes. Every time he looked at them, he couldn't help but think about his son.

Yes. No matter where the boy went, he'd be fine. He would be able to protect himself and others everywhere.

* * *

_'I want to keep eating but…ugh…'_

The plate sat in front of him, still steaming with the hot food it held. The eggs were half eaten as well as the bacon, the sausage covered in melted cheese already gone. Slowly, he lifted up the raspberry jam covered piece of toast and took a bite from the corner, groaning softly. Edward had eaten like this when he was young, but that was so long ago. His stomach was now used to simple things, nothing as rich and as much as this.

Maes chuckled from where he sat, looking the teen over. "You alright there?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

The blonde slowly nodded as he placed the toast back down. "Y-yeah…it's just so rich…"

"Eat up." Roy said, stuffing some eggs into his mouth. "We have a long day ahead of us."

Alphonse nodded in agreement and sipped his glass of orange juice. At first, his stomach hadn't agreed with the food. But, it soon craved it. He took a bite out of his sausage and glanced over at his brother, watching as he slowly reached for his glass of juice.

"Brother, you can wait." He said. "Give yourself a minute to process everything. You'll make yourself sick forcing everything into you."

The Colonel chuckled as he listened, placing the bacon into his mouth. It was hard to believe that Edward was the older one when Alphonse seemed more responsible, more mature. He even looked the part. Short hair, shoulders back, sitting straight up, elbows off the table. He carried himself in such a mature way, it was almost hard to remember he was only eleven years of age. The blonde one almost always sat hunched over, his long hair seemed to curve his jaw slightly and give him a younger look.

The other Elric nodded, his head leaning back as he gave himself a moment to digest. His mind began to wander, going back to the first time he ate Gracia's cooking. A large roll with beef stew. It was the third night him and Alphonse were with the traveling village. The older one didn't eat until that night, the thought of his mother replaying in his head over and over. It wasn't until the younger brother started having nightmares that he realized how weak he was from hunger. Being like this, he wouldn't be able to protect him. So, he gave in and ate the stew and roll. Which quickly made him sick. It wasn't that the food was bad, it was food after all. But, he had been used to eating high quality in his short life. After a few days, though, he learned to love the cooking and her stew became his favorite meal.

_'How is she doing? Are they alright?'_ He wondered. _'…has the rest of the children been taken?'_

Shaking his head, he hunched back over and began to eat once more. By the time he was done, the rest of the base had already left the dinning room. With a sigh, he stood up, picked up his plate, and made his way to the kitchen. His head slowly cleared itself as he walked until he heard a sigh come from the kitchen door. Looking around the corner, he saw Roy standing there, a cup of coffee in his hands. He pulled a glove from his pocket and slipped it on, softly snapping his fingers when he was done. A small spark jumped from his fingers to the cup, steam rising from it. Edward's golden eyes widened and he stepped forward, making his presence known.

"That was alchemy, wasn't it?" He asked, tossing the plastic plate into the rather large sink.

The Colonel turned around and jumped, surprised. With a nod, he put the cup down. "Yes. It was. Fire alchemy."

"Why haven't I seen you do it before?"

"Because I'm not to proud of this ability." He answered, slipping the glove back into his pocket. "Once, I burned a forest down that contained a small village like your own. Burning alive is one of the worst ways to die."

The blonde frowned as he sat up on the counter, his eyes fixated on the man. "Still…the most I've been able to do is make clothing or heat up water a little."

"Lack of knowledge. We have a library here on the base. You can use it how you see fit."

A spark similar to Roy's lit up in his eyes, a grin forming on his face. "Really?!" He exclaimed. "I can use it?!"

"Yes. It's downstairs in the basement, third door on the left." He said, shooing him with his hand as he placed sugar and creamer into his cup.

Without another moment of thought, the teen rushed down. He ran into a few of the children on the way, knocking crayons and papers out of their hands. Of course, he would stop and help pick the mess up, but it wasn't long before he would be running down the hallway again. The door almost flew off it's hinges from his body slamming into it. Looking around, his eyes went wide with all the books, papers, information that laid out before him. Anyone would mistake him for a kid in a candy store as he gracefully jumped onto ladders, plucked books from the shelves, and set up a little area just for him.

The books wouldn't have caught any normal child's eye, only a few pictures here and there. The words were long and not understandable at first. But, after a while of looking back to the dictionary, he soon understood what most thirteen year olds didn't. Oh, the wonder of it all.

Within an hour, most of his little area wasn't just covered in books, but in scribbles, math problems, and small figures he had made in the ground. A soft yawn escaped his mouth as he closed the fourth book. Setting it down, he stood up just in time to feel the ground shake.

"What the hell…?" He wondered out loud, his feet refusing to keep him up.

As best he could, he rushed out, small pieces of the ceiling falling around him. The children screamed in horror as they rushed by him, gun fire heard outside. His mind couldn't focus as he made his way up the stairs. Orders could be heard from where he was, both in Amestrian and Drachmen.

_'Shit…'_ He thought, bumping into a soldier. "Where's Alphonse?!" He screamed over the war that raged around them.

The soldier shrugged. "Don't know!" He screamed and looked over, wrapping an arm around the blonde's shoulders before pushing him down. "Get down!"

Before Edward knew it, the wall behind them was now rubble and his hair was covered in dust. He coughed and ran, making sure to duck when he went passed the windows. His lungs became dry and his heart tightened with anxiety, adrenaline rushing through his veins. Every part of his body became numb as his mind seemed to switch to auto pilot. Blood pumped through his ears, the screams and shouts replaced with the sound of his own heart beat. His hand began to sting and his vision calmed down, allowing him to see the event in front of him.

Alphonse sat in the corner, a frightened look on his face. His eyes held the highest level of fear as they stared off into the distance. The first thing the older Elric thought of was that his brother looked like an armadillo, his body curled up with his arms over his head. Then, he began to realize and wonder. Why, oh why was little Al this scared? Slowly, he followed the boy's gaze until he saw it. A Drachmen soldier. Standing…_right_…**_there_**.

His legs froze and his blood turned cold. Nothing reached his ears.

Not his heart beat.

Not the shouting of orders.

Not even the shot that was fired.

No…nothing reached them for what seemed like weeks. And when everything finally caught up to him, the only sound he heard was his own pleading screaming.

"**_ALPHONSE!_**"

* * *

**A/N: Again, sorry for it being so short. - ADAM**


	11. The blue bracelet

**A/N: Gonna start writing more. I'm slowly getting out of my funk. Bare with me.**

* * *

The smell of beer and other alcoholic beverages was overwhelming as always, but it didn't matter. The sheets smelt of vomit and urine, more so now then before. Usually, he wouldn't have even thought about touching such a bed. Sadly, thinking wasn't his forte at the moment. In fact, the young teen curled up more into the bed, bringing the blanket up to his nose as he laid on his side. His body was numb and his mind kept replaying his brother's frightened face, over and over. Nobody dared to go near him in fear he would lash out like he had before.

Roy sat in the chair not to far from the blonde's bedroom door, watching it intensely. His cheek, neck, and arms still bled slightly from where the teen had clawed at him.

After hearing the blood curdling scream over the gun fire, shouts, and orders, the Colonel ran to it's source. The thirteen year old was half way down the hall when he got to him and the soldier wasn't too far behind, his gun pointed at the young teen's head. Without a moment of thought, he pointed his own gun at the soldier and fired, making sure he was dead before he advanced. Edward shook as he stood there, mumbling things as he held his head in his hands. Mustang quickly ran down the hallway, pulling him along. The blonde attacked his arm as he was dragged back to the scene and screamed again at the sight of his younger brother's blood. He dropped to his knees, calling out the child's name. The older man stood in complete shock as he stared at the boy's scattered skull bits and brain.

It was something he'd never forget.

It wasn't long before Maes, Riza, Edward, and himself were in a car, riding as fast as they could to their safe house bar. Madame Christmas allowed them to come in through the back, not wanting the blonde's screaming and flailing arms scare her costumers. Roy held him close and let him tare at his face as he brought him to the spare rooms upstairs. Laying him down, the teen began attacking his neck until he pushed away. The poor thing has been there alone for at least four hours.

The Colonel sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Fuck…" He muttered, leaning back in the chair.

Soft steps climbed up the stairs as he thought over what he should do. When they stopped at the top, he finally looked over to see Riza standing there, her hair down and two steaming cups in her hands.

"Here." She whispered and handed him a thing of hot chocolate.

Over the years they had known each other, she learned every quirk about him. The man had to flip his pillow every night before he went to sleep, he couldn't eat the red gummy bears, and hot chocolate soothed his nerves.

Another sigh escaped him as he nodded, taking the cup. "Thanks." He said lowly and looked down into the brown gold.

The Lieutenant pulled up a spar chair across the hall and sat with him, holding her own mug with both her hands. It was scorching against her skin, but strangely, it was soothing to her.

A soft growl grew in Mustang's throat as he sipped the hot chocolate, his head shaking as the beverage went down. "Damn it all…" He said. "If they needed him, why did they kill him?"

"Easier to get his blood perhaps." She said, taking a sip of her own drink. "Maybe they did it this way so we wouldn't keep saving them."

"Still…" He growled louder, his anger starting to get the best of him. "He was just a child…he was only _eleven_!"

Riza shushed him, putting his mug up to his lips. She, too, was angry beyond belief. All those children she had saved, had spent time with. All gone. The soldiers that had stayed behind to make sure they escaped, dead. The woman had seen many battles and lots of blood in her short life, but this was by far one of the worst. This war had to stop soon before more children, more innocent lives are taken. Of course, everyone knew this. Even people that weren't even in the battles knew this. It was all in the matter of how to win and stop it.

She sighed and looked at the door, tapping her finger on the cup. "He hasn't come out?" She asks, keeping her voice down.

Roy shook his head, letting out a slow, pleasant sigh after he finished his gulp of hot chocolate. "Hasn't even made a sound. Can't blame him. He watched the rest of his family die."

Hohenheim stayed behind and was one of the first to be shot. The look in Edward's eyes as he watched his father fall was unbelievable. On the car ride to the base, there was so much tension. He could tell the blonde had it in for his parent. Maybe he did, in fact, still loved his dad. Maybe it was the guilt of hating him for so long.

_'Maybe it's because he's all alone now…'_

His late son's blue bracelet tugged at his long sleeve, almost begging him to check on the boy. He shook his head and stood up, placing his mug on his empty chair. "I'll be back." He said and walked over to the door, softly knocking on it.

"Edward?" He whispered, opening it slightly.

The teen's back was turned towards him. He sighed and walked in, closing the door. "Hey…you asleep?" He asked, trying to sound as fatherly as he could.

Sadly, the sound of his voice only caused the blonde to curl up even more into the covers. The small movement made his lips curl into a soft smile as he sat on the edge of the boy's bed. "I guess that's a no."

The room became silent. For what seemed like hours, the only sound that was heard was that of one of them moving. Roy shook his head as he looked at the ceiling, trying to think of something to say. He knew how alone the teen must have felt. He knew the pain and sorrow of losing a family. So, why was it so hard to come out and say something? Maybe, it was because, when this very same thing happened, he had no one to help him. No one truly understood and everyone only told him things would get better.

As time went on, some things did get better. But, he also began to develop unhealthy habits. And he didn't want the same to happen with this child.

A frustrated growl left his throat and nose, his fingers messaging the bridge of his nose. "Look, Ed, I know what you're going through-"

"_No_, you don't."

His voice was low and it was clear his throat was soar. Mustang almost jumped into the air when he heard the pathetic sound. At first, he wasn't sure if it was indeed him. Until he spoke once more.

"You don't know what it's like to lose everything…" He muttered, curling up even more into the bed. "You don't know what it's like to watch your family die…one…by one…"

Roy placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, shaking his head. "I do know what it's like to lose everything. Just not one at a time."

Silence hung in the air once more for a minute or so before he spoke again. "It's okay to cry, you know." He said.

Even when this happened to him, he did not shed a tear. In fact, he thought crying was one of the most horrible things one could do.

"No…crying is a sign of weakness…"

A soft chuckled passed his lips and he shook his head once more. Slowly and carefully, the Colonel slipped the blue bracelet off his wrist, placing it by Edward's face. Without another word, the man stood up and walked out.

When the door closed, the boy sat up and looked over to see if he was truly gone. After confirming he was, he played with the bracelet gingerly in his hands. He bounced it from each finger tip, the strange character standing out in the dark. It must have been from a different country. Never had he seen such strange lines. He narrowed his eyes as he looked over the toy like jewelry. Why did a soldier have something like this? More importantly…

_'Why did he give this to me…?'_

* * *

"Damn it! It's everywhere!"

Scientist were scattered all around, taking pictures, notes, and blood from those left at the Amestrian base. The leader of them all stood in the middle of the room, staring at the small child's body. His eyes were open and wide, lifelessly glazed over. But emotion, fear stayed behind. They were pointed toward the doorway as if they had glanced over at the last second.

The man frowned at the sight, watching his fellows gather as much blood as they could off the walls and the body.

"Stupid man." He muttered. "Why'd he shoot him?! Doesn't he know his blood is rare?!"

One of the scientists looked up at their leader. "He's more then likely dead anyway, sir."

"I don't care! Whoever shot him was an idiot!" The leader screamed, pushing over a dresser in anger. "We needed him to help finish the stone! Xerxesian blood is the purest and now there is only one person alive that has it!"

The tension in the room grew, almost making it hard to breathe. One by one, they laid the bodies in a cart. They tried their hardest to be careful, cleaning them slightly with a hose once they were in place. The youngest were placed at the top of the pile while the oldest stayed at the bottom. Even if they were the enemy, these people had families, people that loved them. It took a while to persuade their leader to bring the dead to the nearest place of worship, but, after an hour of arguing, they were allowed to.

With the cart covered up and tied to the car, a small group head out on their way in search for a place of worship.

* * *

Music played softly from the large radio in the corner of the room. The air smelt of cigarettes and whisky, cards flying across the table. Puffing out the smoke, Roy placed down his hand, smirking at his friend.

"I win again." He said.

Hughes chuckled and shook his head, pulling the cards toward him. "I guess you did." He muttered and began dealing them out again.

Upstairs, a door opened and closed, but the two paid no mind. Nor did they look up. After dealing them evenly and simply, the man placed a deck between them and took a sip of his alcohol.

"Let's play a simple game. Like when we were kids." He said, fanning the cards out in his hand.

The Colonel nodded and smiled, placing the lit stick in the ash tray. "Doesn't matter what we play, Maes, I'll always kick your ass."

The comment made the two laugh, bringing them back to younger days. He always did seem to beat Hughes at everything. Races, grades, eating contests. The onyx eyed man always came in first while he came in second. He never minded, though. It was fun to compete and see his friend happy.

This match didn't seem to last long at all. Before the song on the radio ended, Roy had already won. The other man, older by only a few months, sighed and smiled. He grabbed the deck and began to shuffle them again.

"I want to play." They heard not to far away.

Turning toward the doorway, the two saw their young blonde standing there, watching. The blue band peeked from his sleeve and Mustang smiled. He nodded and waved the boy over, pulling a chair out for him to sit.

"Do you know how to play go fish?" He asked, looking down at him.

Edward slouched and looked up at him, nodding. Something had seemed off about the teen. True, it had only been a week since his family's passing, but something in him was dying. Usually, there was a bright fire in his eyes. As the days went by, the Colonel noticed the fire slowly go out. Now, it was a small, tiny candle light.

He had to bring that forest fire back.

"Alright," He said. "let's make this interesting. If _I_ win, you two would have to…drink a gallon of milk in under an hour."

The look on the blonde's face after hearing the name of the beverage was priceless and it took his whole being to try not to laugh. Hughes cleared his throat and nodded. "If I win, you two will have to kiss every random girl that walks in tomorrow."

Just then, something sparked in Edward's eyes, giving him a small light. He turned and bore his golden eyes into the other's onyx orbs.

"If I win, you teach me alchemy. Combat alchemy."

The two blinked in surprise at how firm his voice had turned. But, they nodded and began dealing the cards. To make it more interesting, they opened up another deck.

The game surprisingly went on for almost an hour. Several songs played on the radio, some the two soldiers knew by heart. At the start of a song, they would gasp and laugh in happiness before belting out of key. The thirteen year old would smile slightly and shake his head, soon taking the whisky out of their hands. He coughed a few times and would rip cigarettes straight out of Roy's mouth. When the game was finally over, the candle flame had grown into a small camp fire.

Looking at the other players, Edward smiled. He had won easily. Turning to Mustang, he smirked.

"When does training begin?"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it's short and crappy. Just...bare with me. - ADAM**


End file.
